DDT “DNA 25 ~ DNA GRAND PRIX 2016”, 20/10/2016 Shinjuku FACE 136 Fans
1. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kouki Iwasaki (6) defeated Yuki Ueno (0) with a Crab Hold (8:47).
2. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Mike Bailey (6) defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani (0) with the Shooting Star Double Knee Drop (5:39).
3. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Guanchulo (6) defeated Daiki Shimomura (2) with the Death Valley Driver (8:29).
4. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Royce Isaacs (4) defeated MAO (4) with the Zenith (9:54).
5. DDT Offer Match: Danshoku Dino & Keisuke Ishii defeated Yukio Sakaguchi & Masahiro Takanashi when Ishii pinned Takanashi with the High Angle Double Arm DDT (11:09).
6. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kazusada Higuchi (8) defeated Rekka (2) with the Doctor Bomb (11:39).
7. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Ryota Nakatsu (8) defeated Mizuki Watase (2) with the V Slider (16:09).
The penultimate day of the DNA Grand Prix sees Kazusada Higuchi and Ryota Nakatsu leading their blocks. In A Block Higuchi only has Kouki Iwasaki to worry about when they meet on the final day. If Iwasaki beats Higuchi then they will both finish tied in 1st place. The Direct Confrontation rule is in effect for tiebreakers so in this case Iwasaki will qualify for the final if he beats Higuchi. Over in B Block Guanchulo and Mike Bailey are chasing after Nakatsu. Bailey and Nakatsu face each other on the last day while Guanchulo takes on Mizuki Watase. Nakatsu only needs a draw to reach the final. Bailey will go through if he wins and Guanchulo doesn’t. There will be a 3 Way tie if both Bailey and Guanchulo win and I don’t know how that will be broken up.
Nakatsu continued his unbeaten streak with a win over Watase in the main event. Watase wouldn’t give up to Nakatsu’s submissions so he had to be put away with a German Suplex and the V Slider. Nakatsu said Bailey will die tomorrow. He then promoted BASARA to the audience.
Higuchi saw past Rekka to go into the final day with only Iwasaki to worry about. However he seems more interested in the result of Nakatsu Vs Bailey. Whatever happens, Higuchi see himself winning the Grand Prix undefeated.
MAO’s chances of catching up to Higuchi were finally put out by Royce Isaacs. The turning point in their match came when Isaacs avoided the Cannonball 450. MAO recovered with a John Woo Dropkick but his momentum was then cut with a Lariat. The Zenith ended the match in Isaacs favour. Isaacs describes MAO as tough but handsome. He was surprised with MAO’s judo technique. It makes him more powerful than he looks. With the Grand Prix final out of his reach, Isaacs wants to finish his tournament run by showing the full force of American style. He hopes he will come back to DNA someday.
Why was Guanchulo able to beat Daiki Shimomura? Because he is Chilean! Guanchulo warned Watase that he will murderize him tomorrow.
Mike Bailey recovered from yesterday’s loss to Guanchulo by beating Nobuhiro Shimatani, who still hasn’t won a point yet. When Bailey hasn’t been wrestling he was instead intently watching Nakatsu’s matches. He thinks Nakatsu’s footwork is amazing but Bailey isn’t afraid because his punches are also strong like his kicks.
You can’t be a pro wrestling rookie in Japan without tapping out to the Crab Hold. It took four matches to happen but Yuki Ueno finally got to experience that right of passage. Iwasaki made it his mission during this tournament to beat Higuchi. Now it will be his destiny.
DDT “DNA 24 ~ DNA GRAND PRIX 2016”, 19/10/2016 Shinjuku FACE 129 Fans
1. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Rekka (2) defeated Yuki Ueno (0) with a Modified Facebuster (7:37).
2. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Ryota Nakatsu (6) defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani (0) with a Extreme Foot Camel Clutch (2:59).
3. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Daiki Shimomura (2) defeated Mizuki Watase (2) with the Kasadora (5:45).
4. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kouki Iwasaki (4) defeated Royce Isaacs (2) with a Triangle Choke (6:54).
5. DDT Offer Match: Konosuke Takeshita & Antonio Honda defeated Akito & Yasu Urano when Honda submitted Urano with the Octopus Hold (11:17).
6. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kazusada Higuchi (6) defeated MAO (4) with the Modified Canadian Backbreaker (13:05).
7. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Guanchulo (4) defeated Mike Bailey (4) with the Seijo Scratch (15:07).
The first two upsets in the DNA Grand Prix happened on Day 3 of the tournament. Guanchulo survived Mike Bailey’s kick heavy offence including a running Penalty Kick along one of the bar counters outside of the ring. Late in the match Guanchulo blocked the Shooting Star Press with his knees. That stunned Bailey long enough to be pinned and suffer his first loss in his block. Bailey kicked a chair away in frustration as he walked back to the locker room. He blamed the referee for giving a slow count outside the ring, allowing Guanchulo the chance to come back before the 20 count. Guanchulo said his body is still in tatters after his match with Ryota Nakatsu on Day 1. He also said he fought for the name that is written on his wrist tape. That name is Shunma Katsumata.
Kazusada Higuchi currently looks unstoppable in A Block. His third win in a row came over MAO who was also undefeated until today. Higuchi jumped MAO during his entrance and tried to beat him with a countout but MAO entered the ring in time. Higuchi countered MAO’s Screw Kick with a Lariat and then bent him backwards in half with the Canadian Backbreaker to win. MAO thought Higuchi’s pre-match attack was strange. Higuchi meanwhile is already thinking of the prize trip to New York. Maybe he’ll go visit Madison Square Garden…
Kouki Iwasaki was caught carrying a foreign object in his tights before his match with Royce Isaacs began. But that was part of his plan because when Yukinori Matsui took the object and turned to remove it from the ring Iwasaki charged an unsuspecting Isaacs. Iwasaki soon locked in the Triangle Choke. Isaacs used his strength to Power Bomb a few times but Iwasaki refused to let go of the hold until Isaacs tapped out. Iwasaki said DNA is his ring and he’s not going to lose to a guy who came from somewhere else.
The other upset was Daiki Shimomura beating Mizuki Watase. He countered Watase’s Back Drop into a Kasadora roll up to score his first win in B Block. Shimomura felt he barely won the match but a win is a win.
Ryota Nakatsu made quick work of Nobuhiro Shimatani to increase his lead in B Block. It’s becoming apparent that there is bad blood forming between Nakatsu and the DNA wrestlers. Shimatani threw his DNA shirt at Nakatsu when the match begun but Nakatsu survived the opening flurry and applied an Ankle Lock. Nakatsu continued to target Shimatani’s leg and then put him in his version of the Camel Clutch to win just shy of three minutes.
The show began with Rekka entering the ring in a new red mask. He took it off for his match with Yuki Ueno. Rekka attacked Ueno with Chops until a high Dropkick fended him off. Rekka hit a Dropkick of his own to block Ueno’s Missile Dropkick. He lifted Ueno up for a Back Drop then dropped him down for a sit out Facebuster for the three count. That was Rekka’s first win in A Block but he’s still not happy with his weak performance so far.
Suguru Miyatake and Dai Suzuki had a warm up session in the ring again before they show. During the session they accidentally confessed to gambling 60,000 yen on horse racing the day before.
DDT “DNA 23 ~ DNA GRAND PRIX 2016”, 18/10/2016 Shinjuku FACE 116 Fans
1. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: MAO (4) defeated Yuki Ueno (0) with the Cannonball 450 (8:48).
2. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kouki Iwasaki (2) defeated Rekka (0) with a Triangle Choke (5:10).
3. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Guanchulo (2) defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani (0) with the Death Valley Driver (5:57).
4. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Mike Bailey (4) defeated Mizuki Watase (2) with the Shooting Star Double Knee Drop (10:48).
5. DDT Offer Match: HARASHIMA & Akito defeated Toru Owashi & Hoshitango when HARASHIMA pinned Hoshitango with the Somato (11:05).
6. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Ryota Nakatsu (4) defeated Daiki Shimomura (0) with an Extreme Foot Camel Clutch (12:36).
7. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kazusada Higuchi (4) defeated Royce Isaacs (2) with the Goten (12:48).
Day 2 of the DNA Grand Prix was headlined by a match of power versus power. The American Royce Isaacs impressed in his Japanese debut yesterday but was stopped in his tracks by Kazusada Higuchi today. Both wrestlers kicked out of each other’s big moves, Isaacs from the Doctor Bomb and Higuchi from the Zenith. Isaacs lifted Higuchi onto the turnbuckles for an Avalanche move but Higuchi pushed him back and knocked him down with a Diving Lariat from the middle ropes. Higuchi then used the Goten to finish off his opponent. Higuchi said it was his Japanese spirit that made him win.
Ryota Nakatsu was accompanied by his Cavalry stablemates for his match with Daiki Shimomura. For the second match in a row Shimomura’s Asai DDT was avoided and that led to his defeat. Nakatsu got a nearfall with a Soccer Ball Kick but then immediately applied an Ankle Lock. Shimomura tried to escape until Nakatsu changed the move into a Camel Clutch for a successful submission. Sekine didn’t think anything of Shimomura except for calling him an ordinary guy.
Nakatsu’s main target in B Block is also two for two so far. Mike Bailey gave Mizuki Watase his first loss in the Grand Prix with a Screw Kick followed by the Shooting Star Double Knee Drop. Bailey has noticed the difficulty in his tournament matches is rising. He noticed Watase is using the experience he learned from wrestling Shinjiro Otani and Kengo Mashimo but he doesn’t yet have the physical strength to go with it. Out of the A Block wrestlers, Bailey would like to face Kouki Iwasaki, MAO and most of all, Kazusada Higuchi.
Guanchulo scored his first points over Nobuhiro Shimatani who is still stuck with zero. A Tornado DDT and Death Valley Bomb won it for Guanchulo. He was impressed with his opponent but now will focus on facing Bailey tomorrow. Bailey is a high flyer but Guanchulo thinks he is stronger. Why? Because he is Chilean!
Kouki Iwasaki got over his Day 1 defeat by tapping out Rekka. Iwasaki was more harsh in the ring than normal. He explained that he does not want to lose another match so he can beat Higuchi on the final day and advance to the final. That means no careless mistakes like the ones he did on Day 1.
MAO wasn’t taking any chances against Yuki Ueno. He had no intention of losing to anyone so he went full force even though his opponent was only having his second proper wrestling match.
Dai Suzuki was spotted doing warm ups in the ring with Suguru Miyatake before the show began. He hasn’t wrestled for DNA since March.
DDT “DNA 22 ~ DNA GRAND PRIX 2016 SEASON OPENER”, 17/10/2016 Shinjuku FACE 165 Fans
1. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Mizuki Watase (2) defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani (0) with a Back Drop (7:02).
2. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Royce Isaacs (2) defeated Rekka (0) with the Zenith (7:51).
3. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Mike Bailey (2) defeated Daiki Shimomura (0) with the Shooting Star Double Knee Drop (9:22).
4. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: Kazusada Higuchi (2) defeated Yuki Ueno (0) with the Doctor Bomb (10:03).
5. DDT Offer Match: Tetsuya Endo & Mad Polly defeated Soma Takao & Makoto Oishi when Polly pinned Oishi with the Polly Buster (9:24).
6. DNA Grand Prix – A Block: MAO (2) defeated Kouki Iwasaki (0) with the Cannonball 450 (11:29).
7. DNA Grand Prix – B Block: Ryota Nakatsu (2) defeated Guanchulo (0) with the Cross Armbreaker (15:20).
Day 1 of the DNA Grand Prix did not end happily for Guanchulo. He came out wearing a Shunma Katsumata t-shirt and even used his Double Stomp to try and beat Ryota Nakatsu. But a Head Kick, German Suplex and Cross Armbreaker put an end to any hope that the power of friendship would save the day. Nakatsu thinks Mike Bailey is the only one in his group that will give him a challenge.
MAO’s quick attack on Kouki Iwasaki to start their match gave him the edge. He hit the Alien Plancha then seated him on a chair for the John Woo Dropkick. Back in the ring Iwasaki tried to wear down MAO with an Anklelock but MAO rolled out of it and stunned him with a High Screw Kick. A modified Rock Bottom and the Cannonball 450 earned MAO his first two points. MAO is aware that his knee will be targeted by his opponents.
In his official debut match Yuki Ueno had the unenviable task of wrestling Kazusada Higuchi. Ueno at one point knocked Higuchi off his feet with a Dropkick and even put him in a Crab Hold. Higuchi fought back with the Oklahoma Stampede and Nodowa Otoshi for nearfalls. Ueno got a two count of his own with a Frog Splash but a Doctor Bomb from Higuchi ended the match afterwards. Higuchi described the match as him welcoming Ueno to DNA.
Mike Bailey avoided an Asai DDT en route to beating Daiki Shimomura. Bailey says the tournament running for 5 consecutive days is like running a marathon. He wants to continue running until the end.
For his first match in Japan, Royce Isaacs was too powerful for Rekka to handle. He countered a Triangle Choke into a Turnbuckle Bomb then followed with a German Suplex into a Rock Bottom. Isaacs said he didn’t come to DNA to make friends. He came to test his strength. He wants to compare his power with Higuchi’s power. Rekka felt like all of his ability and technique were useless against Isaacs.
Mizuki Watase opened up the tournament with a win over Nobuhiro Shimatani. He hit a big Back Drop for the three count. Watase knows that he has a long way to go this week. His priority is to avoid losing against Nakatsu.
Shunma Katsumata was in attendance to say he will return from injury at “DDT FES 2016” in November.
DDT “DNA 21 ~THANK YOU KITAZAWA TOWN HALL! THE LAST PRO WRESTLING BEFORE RENOVATION~”, 30/09/2016 Kitazawa Town Hall 177 Fans
1. Ryuichi Sekine defeated Daiki Shimomura with the Let’s Combine (7:49).
2. Keisuke Ishii defeated Rekka with the Tiger Suplex (8:00).
3. NωA Sub-Leader Playoff: MAO defeated Makoto Oishi with the Chile Driver (6:25).
4. Same Grade Of Claim: Konosuke Takeshita defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani with a Vertical Drop Brainbuster (11:03).
5. Hardcore Match: Jun Kasai defeated Mizuki Watase with the Pearl Harbour Splash (12:12).
6. Road To DNA-GP: Kazusada Higuchi & Shunma Katsumata Vs Guanchulo & Kouki Iwasaki ended in a Time Limit Draw (30:00).
As the show name suggests this is the last DNA show held in Kitazawa Town Hall for now while the building goes through renovations for the next 18 months. That means the hall won’t be available until 2018. At the end of the show all of the DNA wrestlers lined up to say goodbye to the building that supported the brand since its very first show in 2014. Kazusada Higuchi said he has many memories of hard work and a hot summer wrestling in the building.
The main event took both teams to their limit and a winner could not be decided. Guanchulo gave Higuchi the Death Valley Bomb then Shunma Katsumata caught Guanchulo with the Swan Dive X Factor. Kouki Iwasaki locked a Triangle Choke on Higuchi but he powered out of it and hit a Lariat in the final seconds before the time expired.
If fighting Jun Kasai wasn’t bad enough, Mizuki Watase now had to fight the Crazy Monkey in a Hardcore Match! And it was his idea! Kasai was kind enough to let Watase start off with a chair but it didn’t take long for that object to be used against him. Kasai turned the match into a ringside brawl where he Body Slammed Watase onto the floor and scratched at his pretty face. Kasai brought out a table but Watase suddenly began throwing chairs at Kasai to stop him. Watase placed Kasai on top of the table and hit a Diving Body Press through it! Back in the ring Watase kicked out of the Reverse Tiger Driver but couldn’t kick out of the Pearl Harbour Splash. Watase said he wanted to have a Hardcore match so he could get a taste of Kasai when he’s at 100%. He described it as mortifying but delicious.
Konosuke Takeshita gave a lot of praise to the DNA wrestlers after his match with Nobuhiro Shimatani. Everybody from Higuchi to Rekka have been working hard. He said he feels Kota Umeda’s frustration from getting injured before the DNA Grand Prix. He wished Shimatani luck and hopes the next time they face each other, Shimatani will be the Grand Prix champion.
The NωA leader was already determined a while ago. That’s Shunma Katsumata. However the other two members decided to fight over who gets to be the sub-leader of the band. MAO hit a modified Tombstone called the Chile Driver to beat Makoto Oishi. Although he won the match MAO’s right knee was targeted a lot and he now worries if its current condition will harm his chances going into the Grand Prix.
The DNA Grand Prix group draws were revealed. Block A contains Kazusada Higuchi, Kouki Iwasaki, MAO, Rekka, Yuki Ueno and Royse Isaacs. Ueno’s debut match will be against Higuchi. Block B has Shunma Katsumata, Guanchulo, Mizuki Watase, Daiki Shimomura, Nobuhiro Shimatani and Mike Bailey. Shimatani is determined to do anything for the one way ticket to New York. His generation rival Shimomura pointed out he is on a two match winning streak against Shimatani. Watase claims he has the most experience in his group thanks to his DNA matches with Shinjiro Otani, Yuko Miyamoto and now Jun Kasai. Guanchulo warned Katsumata that although they are amigos, they are now also rivals in the same block.
DDT “DNA 20”, 07/09/2016 Kitasenju Theatre 1010 123 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House
1. Daisuke Sasaki defeated Nobuhiro Shimatani with a Dropkick (10:37).
2. Koji Iwamoto defeated Daiki Shimomura with the Aloof Art (9:46).
3. Rainbow Kawamura Last DNA Match: Danshoku Dino defeated Rainbow Kawamura with the Raw Danshoku Driver (9:35).
4. Yasu Urano & Hi69 defeated MAO & Rekka when Hi69 submitted Rekka with a Cross Armbreaker (11:09).
5. Road To DNA-GP: Shunma Katsumata defeated Mizuki Watase with the Swan Dive X Factor (11:23).
6. Road To DNA-GP: Kazusada Higuchi & Guanchulo defeated Kota Umeda & Kouki Iwasaki when Guanchulo pinned Umeda with the Seijo Scratch (10:34).
With the DNA Grand Prix around the corner many of the wrestlers on the show were motivated to fight at full strength. Guanchulo got the upset pin over Kota Umeda in the main event when he ducked a Buzzsaw Kick and got Umeda’s shoulders on the mat with the Seijo Scratch. Umeda protested the result and said he kicked out but it stood. Guanchulo thanked Kazusada Higuchi for helping him win and praised his opponents for being strong. He said the DNA Grand Prix is his chance to show what he’s got. He also wants a singles match against Higuchi.
Rainbow Kawamura’s final match for DNA as against Danshoku Dino and it was as pervy as you’d expect. Daisuke Kiso was caught in the middle and took the brunt from both wrestlers. Kawamura sprayed him in the eyes with his disinfectant then Dino made him pass out with the Lip Lock. Kawamura wound up getting stripped out of his wrestling gear and everyone found out he was wearing lingerie underneath. One Lip Lock and Danshoku Driver later brought an end to the match and to Rainbow Kawamura. Dino told Kawamura to stand back up and give his farewell speech. It was interrupted when a crying Dai Suzuki ran in and hugged Kawamura. Suzuki said they walked through their twists and turns together but suddenly that won’t happen anymore. Higuchi appeared and mentioned how surprised he was when Kawamura sent him a LINE message saying he was quitting DNA. Even though Kawamura missed a lot of shows because of an injury, Higuchi still treats him as his senior. He hopes Kawamura will work as hard in BASARA as he did in DNA. Kawamura thanked the staff for letting him wrestle Dino in his last match. From tomorrow, he is now a part of BASARA.
Shunma Katsumata’s goal for the Grand Prix is to go undefeated for the entire tournament.
In the opening match Nobuhiro Shimatani was able to avoid Daisuke Sasaki’s Now Or Never but a Dropkick from Sasaki immediately afterwards was enough to end the match. Shimatani’s next DNA match is against Konosuke Takeshita on 30th September. The main event of that show is Umeda & Katsumata Vs Higuchi & Kouki Iwasaki.
DDT “DRAMATIC KATSURAGI 2016”, 30/07/2016 Nara Katsuragi City Taima Sports Center 291 Fans – No Vacancy
1. Yasu Urano defeated MAO with the Tombstone Piledriver (7:41).
2. Sanshiro Takagi, Kazuki Hirata & Maholova Vs Makoto Oishi, Shunma Katsumata & Gran Haniwa when Hirata pinned Haniwa with the One Shot Miracle Cradle (10:35).
3. Tetsuya Endo defeated Kouki Iwasaki with the Torture Rack Bomb (8:20).
4. Masahiro Takanashi & Soma Takao defeated Dick Togo & Guanchulo when Takao pinned Guanchulo with the Gin And Tonic (10:24).
5. Danshoku Dino & Keisuke Ishii defeated Yukio Sakaguchi & Kota Umeda when Dino pinned Umeda with the Danshoku Driver (11:14). *Katsuragi City becomes a Gay Town.
6. Daisuke Sasaki & Mad Paulie defeated HARASHIMA & Akito when Sasaki pinned Akito with the Sasaki Hurricanrana (13:41).
7. Most Of DDT Katsuragi Place Tie! Katsuragi Specialty Special 6 Man Tag Team Match: Konosuke Takeshita, Antonio Honda & Trans-Am ★ Hiroshi defeated Toru Owashi, Kazusada Higuchi & Hoshitango when Takeshita pinned Hoshitango with a Blue Thunder Bomb (13:35).
Happy Motels kicked off the main event by challenging their sumo opponents to a triple sumo match. The sumo team were winning until some unexpected manoeuvres sent them out of the ring. Antonio Honda tried to do a Quebrada onto them but his foot slipped on the rope and he fell to the apron. Honda was targeted but Konosuke Takeshita came to the rescue and pinned Hoshintango with a Blue Thunder Bomb. He and Toru Owashi continued fighting after the bell and had to be separated. Happy Motels ended the show by posing for a picture with the mayor of Katsuragi City.
Danshoku Dino put up a stipulation for Match #5. If he and Keisuke Ishii won the match then Katsuragi City would be declared a Gay Town from now on. Kota Umeda hated the idea and said he will make Katsuragi a Drinking Town if he and Yukio Sakaguchi won. Dino won the match and politely greeted the new Gay Town afterwards. He thanked the Gay Town for supporting him.
Guanchulo got to team up with his mentor Dick Togo in Japan for the first time. They shared a moment when they both applied the Crippler Crossface to their opponents at the same time. However Soma Takao continued his strong form when he got the pin on Guanchulo.